For Muslim New Yorkers, Mamdani’s victory bridges long-standing divisions

Zohran Mamdani’s election as New York City’s next mayor has become something larger than a historic first for many Muslim New Yorkers — it marks a rare moment of visibility and unity across the city’s Muslim community, and a particularly meaningful one for Shia Muslims, who have often felt sidelined, even within their own faith, they told NBC News.

That sense of possibility crystallized for Fizza Jaffari the night Mamdani won.

She recalled watching the election returns from a cafe in Astoria, a diverse Queens neighborhood with a large Muslim population, when cheers erupted and car horns blared as Mamdani made history, not just as the city’s first Muslim mayor, but as the first Shia Muslim to hold the office.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime type of moment,” Jaffri, 33, told NBC News. “I haven’t really experienced that, especially because we’re not always in these high-power offices.”

As Mamdani prepares to take office on Jan. 1, Shia Muslim New Yorkers say his election is already reshaping conversations about faith, identity and belonging.

For Mamdani, the moment is rooted in lessons passed down by his paternal grandparents on justice, dignity and standing against oppression through his Shia identity.

“They didn’t just teach me what it meant to be Shia. They didn’t just teach me what it meant to be a Muslim,” Mamdani told NBC News in an interview at his office. “They also used those lessons to teach me what it meant to be a good person.”

Growing up, Maira Raza said she often hesitated to tell Sunni Muslim friends that she is Shia, fearing misconceptions or judgment.

“People I’ve spoken to or friends I’ve had have ostracized me or made me feel ‘other than’ because of it,” said Raza, 32, adding that her Shia identity has also limited marriage prospects within the community.

The divide between Shia and Sunni Muslims dates back to the seventh century, when followers of Islam disagreed about who should succeed the Prophet Muhammad after his death. Those who supported Ali, the prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, became known as Shia, while Sunni Muslims believed leadership was decided through an election.

The schism deepened over time, particularly after the killing of Hussein, the prophet’s grandson, an event central to Shia identity that is commemorated annually as a symbol of resistance against injustice. Differences persist over religious practices, including prayer and commemorations.

Despite theological differences, Shia and Sunni Muslims share core beliefs. In the U.S., Shia Muslims make up about 10% to 15% of the Muslim population and often face discrimination from within their own communities.

Raza said that feeling is not unique to her experience. Sectarianism has fueled violence in parts of the Muslim world, including her native Pakistan.

Against that backdrop, Mamdani’s victory stood out as a rare moment for Shia New Yorkers who saw someone like them embraced broadly by the city’s Muslim community.

“I have so many Sunni friends, and none of them have said anything about him being Shia,” Raza said. “Everyone’s just like, ‘He’s Muslim,’ and they’re just so proud.”

Mamdani has not shied away from his Shia identity. During the campaign, he attended a gathering in Queens marking the martyrdom of Imam Hussein.

Mamdani said his grandparents’ teachings continue to inform how he approaches politics, influencing how he thinks about justice and solidarity beyond sectarian divisions.

“I learned at a young age the importance of fighting injustice and the struggle that it necessitates,” Mamdani said. “And the importance of fulfilling that struggle in creating a more just world for everyone.”

Ali Nasser, a Sunni Muslim who has lived in New York for more than 10 years, said Mamdani’s message of representing all New Yorkers resonated with him.

“As Muslims, especially in the Trump era, it’s more important for us than ever to be united, regardless of faith, regardless of race, regardless of status,” Nasser said. “I feel like Mamdani sends a message of unity that transcends all these identities.”

Jiniya Azad, a Sunni Muslim and the creator of MuslimFoodies on Instagram, used her platform to spread awareness about Mamdani’s campaign and encourage her followers to vote. She defended Mamdani when a follower attacked his Shia identity. The 29-year-old told NBC News “it doesn’t matter” if he is Shia.

“He was elected because he has New York values,” the lifelong New Yorker said. “He’s grown up in New York as a brown man, and he knows there is more to this city than the superfluous glitz and glam and corruption. We need someone who stands up and protects us New Yorkers first more than anything else.”

At the Islamic Center at New York University, conversations about Mamdani’s victory spilled into prayer spaces and hallways in the days after the election.

Sheikh Faiyaz Jaffer, a Shia scholar and the center’s executive director, said he witnessed “a shared sense of affirmation” among congregants — especially important amid rising Islamophobia nationwide.

“I’ve heard from Shia and Sunni community members alike who felt a shared sense of pride in this victory, regardless of sect,” Jaffer said. “Moments like this remind us that our collective struggles and aspirations are far greater than the differences that often divide us.”

Khalid Latif, a Sunni imam at the Islamic Center of New York City and Jaffer’s predecessor, also celebrated Mamdani’s win, calling it a “restoration of hope” for New Yorkers across backgrounds.

Raza, an ICNYU congregant, said she had goose bumps watching Mamdani’s victory speech, in which he described himself unapologetically as a young Muslim and a democratic socialist.

“He was so certain of who he was,” Raza said. “If he can do this, anyone can do anything.”

Azad felt an immense sense of pride in her city and in being Muslim when Mamdani won. It still feels surreal, she said.

“We now have a Muslim mayor in NYC who started this all grassroots,” the Queens native said. “A mayor that cares about affordability and also eats biryani in Jackson Heights.”

Mamadani said representing New York’s Muslim communities is not something he takes lightly. His political journey, he said, started in 2015 when he joined the Muslim Democratic Club of New York, an organization aimed at increasing Muslim civic engagement.

“It’s been an immense privilege,” Mamdani told NBC News. “Some of the most special moments of this past year have been those where I can see New Yorkers start to see themselves in the politics of the city and representation.”

Jaffer said Mamdani’s election could also help spark conversations about sectarianism within the city’s Muslim community.

“Unity doesn’t require erasing our differences,” he said. “It does require choosing dignity and compassion over division.”

Throughout the campaign, Mamdani faced Islamophobic attacks from political opponents. During a radio interview, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo appeared to suggest Mamdani would cheer on another 9/11. Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa accused him of supporting “global jihad,” while Mayor Eric Adams insinuated that Mamdani is an extremist who supports “burning churches.”

For Nasser and other Muslim New Yorkers, the attacks underscored that Islamophobia remains deeply entrenched. What stood out, Nasser said, was Mamdani’s response: calling the attacks baseless and racist while staying focused on affordability and equality.

“He navigated it with a lot of grace and patience,” the 40-year-old said. “It takes a lot of resolve and a lot of patience to be able to get criticized and attacked for these Islamophobic, baseless claims and be able to come out the opposite side, still wearing a smile.”

Shortly before his election, Mamdani released a six-minute video message to Muslim New Yorkers denouncing the racism that has forced many to hide who they are.

“I will no longer look for myself in the shadows. I will find myself in the light,” Mamdani said in the video.

This message resonated with Raza, who said she spent much of her life feeling pressured to stay invisible.

“I don’t want to do that now, and I don’t think anyone should have to do that now,” Raza said. “Mamdani is so unapologetically himself, and he makes it seem so natural. And I think that’s his power.”

Mamdani says many people reached out to him after the video aired, including an older man who told him that he, too, was ready to step out of the shadows.

“My dream is to lead a city where every New Yorker can live the fullest version of themselves and not feel as if they have to hide any part of themselves in order to be here, in order to call themselves a New Yorker,” Mamdani said.